Campaign to fine water wasters

DAM CAPACITY across the island is only 26 per cent, with the Agriculture Minister yesterday warning that wasting water will no longer be tolerated.

On the occasion of World Water Day, a senior technician at the Water Development Department yesterday told the Mail that the dams are currently holding 72 million cubic metres of water, compared with 135 million cubic metres (49.5%) at this time last year.

Phedros Roussis blamed the rainfall shortage for the problem, adding that inflow is currently 150,000 cubic metres, with the total inflow so far this year standing at 28.9 million cubic metres.

The Ministry of Agriculture yesterday announced a campaign where people found to be wasting water will be fined, is due to begin in the next few days.

Minister Photis Photiou explained that the as yet unspecified fines will be issued by municipalities, police and Ministry officials.

He described the current dam capacity as “tragic” and stressed the importance and need for the public to be more water conscious.

“Do not wash your cars two or three times a week and do not unnecessarily hose down verandas and pavements,” he said.

The Green Party criticised the government, saying the way to deal with the current water shortage is not through fining the public, but by undertaking an educational campaign.

They also criticised the proposed building of further golf courses, which they claim will use huge amounts of water.

The Greens say that according to their latest figures, eight million tonnes of water were “lost” in 2005, worth a total of £3.6 million.

The Cabinet recently decided to increase water production by the two functioning desalination plants in the Larnaca district.

‘Coping with Water Scarcity’ was the theme for World Water Day this year.

The theme highlights the significance of co-operation and importance of an integrated approach to water resource management of water at international, national and local levels.

It has been estimated that one billion people do not have access to clean drinking water worldwide.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.